Nichols was a copy of Goren in season 8 too. He carried the notebook,had same faltering speech and obscure pauses,difficult home background etc etc.Sniffing at evidence is another Goren characteristic that has come up a few times with Nichols. Nichols is almost a comic parody of Goren.

Goren carries or carried a binder/briefcase, Nichols made notes at the crime scene. I remember in the first season, Eames doing that in the pilot, and that was phased out.

Whilst both men have had difficult childhoods and Logan too had that, making them all the "flawed mavericks" that they are. Nichols comes from a different situation than Goren did, and different upbringings. Sure they are both eccentrics, but their not the same. It kind of makes it look like the writers have run out of ideas by giving Nichols the same traits. Now bringing in an older brother into the mix, hopefully not a junkie like Frank, then we really know that the writer's have nothing to do but copy what's been done before.

Nichols has also carried a notebook/folder that he consults etc. I cant remember which episode or how often, but he definitely had one. Too many similarities between Goren and nichols.Nothing new or different.